Human Resources (HR) professionals are increasingly turning to technology to help them hire the right people quicker and easier. Tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are helping HR administrators in a multitude of ways and transforming talent acquisition in the process.
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For instance, AI can help HR professionals assess the skills of current employees to determine which are the most productive workers. It can create a list of the most valuable attributes for each position and use that list to identify the most promising candidates more quickly.
AI can even help HR administrators write better job descriptions and optimize job listings to ensure they’re written in a gender-neutral manner and appeal to the widest-possible range of candidates. Similarly, technology can help eliminate bias when it comes to reviewing candidate curricula vitae so the most qualified candidates have an equal shot at the job.
A recent report from Randstad predicts that the application of AI in HR is set to explode, and HR departments will soon go on a “tech buying spree.” This will ensure they’re equipped to find the data scientists, AI engineers, and other technically skilled workers companies will need in the years to come.
The ongoing discovery of HR applications is giving rise to a wave of new businesses hoping to meet the demand for AI-powered tools. HireVue, for example, has developed a tool that makes predictions about a prospective candidate’s likelihood of success if hired.
Clinch, a candidate relationship management provider, is using machine learning to identify visitors to job websites and learn about their interests based on their site journey. It can engage visitors on subsequent visits to the site with unique content tailored to those interests, with the goal of generating more applicants.
Of course, as with any technological innovation, HR professionals have some concerns about AI technology. Removing the human touch from HR and replacing people with chatbots could potentially ruin a candidate’s first experience with a company. Also, while AI can help eliminate bias, some worry that technology could potentially enforce bias rather than eliminate it. So, as HR professionals move forward in this area, they should be informed and watchful to avoid potential drawbacks.
5 Applications for AI in HR
Although full adoption of AI and machine learning might still be a ways away for some, there are already plenty of applications for AI and machine learning in HR that are available now. Here are five processes that could provide a great testing ground for AI in HR:
- Social profile aggregation:AI can aggregate data posted on various social platforms and analyze them to determine whether a candidate would be a good cultural fit, as well as a fit for the position that needs to be filled. Screening out candidates will be more effective and less time-consuming when left to AI, ultimately contributing to a more productive workforce.
- Résumé parsing:Sifting through a stack of résumés and comparing them with one another can be a time-consuming task for HR professionals. AI can do it quickly and organize the relevant information in a way that is most useful to recruiters. This allows recruiters to engage the most qualified candidates faster, which is imperative for companies looking to hire top talent in the current labor market.
- Candidate matching:In general, recruiters have an idea of what they’re looking for in a new hire. But reviewing each candidate’s qualifications manually and attempting to assess whether his or her skills and experience meet job requirements are never easy. AI can help you select the most viable candidates quickly.
- Candidate ranking:A huge list of candidates who generally match what you’re looking for in a new hire isn’t very helpful and is really just another obstacle. AI can easily rank candidates based on any number of factors so you can engage the most qualified candidates first.
- Marketing automation:Most of the process of advertising a job opening can be automated with AI. AI can help build better job descriptions; quickly post them to various hiring sites, message boards, and social media platforms; and even monitor the interest they receive. This can tell you whether you need to make changes to optimize your reach.
According to a survey from McKinsey & Co., 69% of companies that have implemented AI into their HR functions have seen moderate to significant value from the technology. HR professionals can be a part of these technological advances that have great potential for saving time and money while streamlining the more mundane HR tasks. Look into how you can use these applications to keep your company on the cutting edge.
Peter Limone is the CFO of Innovative Employee Solutions (IES), a leading nationwide employer of record that specializes in payrolling and contractor management services for today’s contingent workforce. Founded in 1974 in San Diego, IES has grown into one of the city’s largest women-owned businesses and has been named one of its “Best Places to Work” for 10 years in a row.